agony

a. The suffering of intense physical or mental pain: The injured soldier writhed in agony.

b. An instance of such suffering: the agonies of adolescence.

A sudden or intense emotion: “Jones then fell upon his knees, and kissed her hand in an agony of joy”(Henry Fielding).

A violent, intense struggle, especially the struggle that precedes death.

Origin of agony

Middle English agonie, from Old French, from Late Latin agōnia, from Greek agōniā, from agōn, struggle, from agein, to drive; see ag- in Indo-European roots.

agony

Noun

(plural agonies)

Violent contest or striving.

The world is convulsed by the agonies of great nations. —Thomas Babington Macaulay.

Pain so extreme as to cause writhing or contortions of the body, similar to those made in the athletic contests in Greece; and hence, extreme pain of mind or body; anguish; paroxysm of grief; specifically, the sufferings of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane.